Well if you're short on money and want to get him/her something meaningful then you can try to be creative. One route to go is to use your imagination. Write a poem telling them how much you value what they have and how much you value the relationship and frame it as well as a picture of the two of you together.

You could make a photo album of the both of you and include pictures of things the both of you love (skiing, cheesecake). Buy one of those little miniatures Christmas trees and cut out paper hearts or starts, or whatever and hang them at the ends. On each paper you should write why you care about them as a friend. You could make him/her a Christmas webpage, sing a little song, or something like that.

If you're not very creative and buying gifts is the only option then you can get them a stuffed animal with maybe some flowers? You could get them a necklace, there are many sales going on and I'm very positive you can find a very cute necklace for fewer than 30 dollars. Actually the other day I saw a golden locket that was normally for 100 dollars now being sold for 30 dollars.So check around for the sales going on.

If they like animals you could get them a little beta fish with the tank for about 20 dollars. Also gift certificates do work. So you can get them a gift certificate for there favorite store. If they like books and you know a specific one they might want then get it for them. So those are a few ideas.

I would suggest that you could make your upcoming events special by having a romantic evening or a weekend together. If an actual getaway feels like too much, why not take your boyfriend or girlfriend out to a nice restaurant for a special birthday/anniversary dinner?

As far as buying them an actual gift, you mentioned that you know of some things that he/she likes. In my opinion, the best gift is the one that you know the person you are giving it to. If you know that your boyfriend or girlfriend won't appreciate anything that they find too expensive, then you shouldn't go with it.

Instead try to remember them mentioning something that he/she wanted to have and go with that. That will show them that you really were paying attention to the things he/she had to say and care about them. You can add that hand-made card you mentioned and together it would make a great gift.

If it's only been a little over a month then don't get them anything really expensive. Probably, the best thing to get them is a big stuffed animal with some candy and maybe something cute they would like or something they need. Like, my boyfriend knows that I like this certain kind of body spray so he bought me some of that. So probably, a stuffed animal, maybe candy, and possibly something they would like at the moment, but that is not too expensive. And this should all be under 60 dollars.

You could buy them flowers, but make it creative. For example go to there work and give there coworkers all flowers (different ones like roses, tulips, and etc). When they comes to work have all the coworkers give them a note( giving one reason why you love them) and the flower they have. Then recite a speech telling how much you care about them and how much they really mean to you. Talk about a public way to say how you feel, and in a sweet way.

If you're more of the quiet type, you can make them a journal/photo album. It can consist of photos of the both of you, and things that remind you of him/her. You can have pages devoted to what you love about them, and even create your very own adventure story with only one good ending. Then you can place the journal in one big box full of there favorite candy (i.e. starbursts).

You can buy them a gift he/she has been wanting for a long time and create a love game. The love game comes before the gift. You can make cards that say stuff like you broke my heart (go back one space) or you smiled (go up 5 spaces). When they win then you kiss them and give him/her the gift he/she has been waiting for.